Timeline Of Events 50 Days, Still Hoping

Four-year-old Madeleine McCann from Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared on May 3 during a holiday with her parents in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.Here is a chronology of developments:May 3 - The girl goes missing from her bedroom between 9.30 and 10 p.m. while her parents Kate and Gerry are dining just 100 yards away at the Mark Warner Ocean Club holiday resort in Praia da Luz. A window and shutter are open and she is presumed to have been abducted.May 4 - McCann family members and British media criticise local police for what they call a slow initial response, failure to notify ports and borders in time, and failure to secure the crime scene, which may have led to vital clues being lost.Police say that under Portuguese secrecy laws they are unable to reveal details of the investigation.May 5 - Police say they have put together a sketch of a suspect and confirm they believe Madeleine is still alive and being held within three miles of the crime scene. Media reports say the sketch is vague and only features the back of a man's head.May 8 - Police say they have investigated 350 suspicious incidents but still have no idea where she might be.Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manha says Madeleine may have been kidnapped by a paedophile ring.Two criminal behaviour experts fly in from Britain.Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo joins appeals for her release.May 10 - The search around the resort winds down. Attention focuses on a blonde woman seen acting suspiciously before the girl's disappearance.May 11 - Scottish businessman Stephen Winyard offers a one million pound reward.Former England soccer captain David Beckham makes televised appeal for information.May 12 - Madeleine turns four.May 13 - Virgin boss Richard Branson, author J.K. Rowling and footballer Wayne Rooney are among those to have contributed to rewards now totalling 2.5 million pounds.May 13 - Half a million pilgrims attending the 90th anniversary of the first appearance of the Virgin Mary at the Sanctuary of Fatima pray for Madeleine's return.May 14 - Her parents say they will not return home until they have found her but say they think she is safe.Police search a villa just up the road from where Madeleine was snatched and take a British man, Robert Murat, to a police station for questioning. He is later released.May 15 - Police say they have identified a suspect but do not have enough evidence for an arrest.Five properties have been searched in the area, and two other people questioned as witnesses.May 16 - Deputy PM John Prescott tells parliament the government is doing everything it can to support Madeleine's parents.Portuguese police interview a computer technician as a witness, identified by local media as a Russian man, and take away computers for examination.Family sets up public appeal fund.May 17 - Web site, www.findmadeleine.com, is launched.May 18 - Multi-national companies help distribute appeal posters.Several newspapers have started talking of media overkill.May 19 - Appeals are broadcast at the F.A. Cup final at the new Wembley stadium.May 25 - Gerry and Kate McCann speak of their guilt over Madeleine's disappearance.May 30 - They meet Pope Benedict during a general audience at the VaticanJune 1 - The couple travel to neighbouring Spain where they hold a news conference to appeal for help from Spanish police.June 6 - They take their appeal to Berlin. The Algarve is popular among Germans. They move on to Amsterdam. After British and German tourists, the largest group of nationals who make up the tourists in the Algarve are the Dutch.June 7 - On their return to the Algarve, a classical and jazz concert is held in honour of Madeleine.Web site has received more than 170 million hits.June 10 - The couple fly to Morocco. British media reports suggest it might be the last country they visit before "taking stock" of their campaign.June 13 - Police start searching an area of deserted scrubland 20 km north of Praia da Luz after a tip-off to a Dutch newspaper. They find nothing.June 20 - On a visit to London, Gerry McCann has his wallet stolen. He loses precious pictures of MadeleineJune 21 - Police in Malta check two reports of possible sightings.June 22 - Worldwide balloon release to mark the 50th day since Madeleine's disappearance.

School in Madeliene Tribute

Children at the school Madeleine McCann should be starting in September are lending their help in the search for the missing four-year-old.They have spelled out the words "Find Madeleine" in the grounds of Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary in Leicester.It comes after Portuguese police said Madeleine McCann's family and friends may have destroyed vital evidence in the hours after she was snatched.The Inspector leading the case claims so many crowded into the room where she was taken, it was proving difficult for forensic teams.More than 20 people entered the apartment in Praia da Luz the night Madeleine went missing over six weeks ago.

Straight from the news

LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese police on Monday searched a villa up the road from where four-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann was snatched and took a British man to a police station for questioning, local television reported.Local broadcaster SIC Noticias said a member of the family at the villa often spoke to reporters and had said Madeleine looked like his daughter in England.Police sealed the villa for forensic tests, SIC Noticias said. The man is said to have helped Portuguese police and had acted as a translator.The search took place as the parents of the girl kidnapped 11 days ago said they remained positive their daughter was safe and vowed to keep up the search for her."Until there is concrete evidence to the contrary, we believe that Madeleine is safe and being looked after and that is how we can continue in our efforts,' said Gerry McCann in a statement read to reporters on Monday."We can't even consider returning home at the moment, I absolutely can't even let it enter my head," his wife, Kate, said when asked when she was considering going home.The McCanns praised the Portuguese police for their work and thanked people for the widespread support they had received.Celebrity donations have pushed up the reward offered for Madeleine's safe return to 2.6 million pounds.Harry Potter author JK Rowling, tycoons Sir Philip Green and Sir Richard Branson, Wayne Rooney and Simon Cowell have all contributed and a special fighting fund is being set up.It was the first time Kate McCann had answered questions from the media since Madeleine was snatched from her bed on May 3 in a popular resort in the Algarve in southern Portugal, just yards from where her parents were dining in a nearby restaurant.On Sunday Portugal's leading investigator, Olegario Sousa, said some potential leads had been eliminated, but there have been no arrests in connection with Madeleine's abduction

HOT OF THE PRESS! We have a suspect!

Portuguese police said on Tuesday they have identified a suspect in their investigation of the kidnapping of four-year-old Madeleine McCann.On Monday they searched a villa close to the complex from where she went missing more than a week ago and took away a British man, Robert Murat, for questioning."There is a suspect," a spokeswoman for the judicial police said but gave no further details.It was not immediately clear whether the suspect had been arrested. In Portugal police can identify a suspect without arresting the person.Murat often spoke to reporters in the days just after the disappearance of Madeleine, saying she looked like his daughter in England. His mother's house, "Casa Liliana," is about 150 metres from the resort apartment where the McCann family was staying when their daughter disappeared.Local television showed images of the house, which had a large green gate.Police were seen leaving the house late on Monday after entering it early in the day. Police drained the swimming pool at the house, according to local media.A British man questioned by police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been officially classed as a "suspect".Robert Murat was questioned late on Monday night while forensic experts searched his house just yards from where the four-year-old was snatched 12 days ago.He was one of three people questioned by detectives in the town of Portimao. All three were released overnight.Although he has not been charged and is not believed to be in custody, it is thought he is the first person to be formally classed as a suspect.Among items taken from the house which was searched on Monday night were videotapes and a computer, witnesses said.Under Portuguese law, people who are questioned are not under arrest but simply treated as witnesses.Arrests can only be made when police consider someone a suspect or possible suspect and then they require a court order before they can be cast as such.Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa, spokesman for the Madeleine McCann investigation, said on Tuesday that a British man in his thirties taken from the house which was searched has now been classed as an "arguido".Madeleine was snatched from her bed in the resort town of Praia da Luz on May 3 while her parents were dining nearby. There has been no news of her whereabouts since.

First suspect in maddy case.... I'm A Scapegoat

The first formal suspect in the investigation into the abduction of Madeleine McCann says he has been made a "scapegoat".Robert Murat spoke for the first time since being questioned by Portuguese police as Madeleine's family prepared to step up its international campaign to find her.The former property developer said he would only survive the ordeal if Madeleine's abductor was caught to clear his name.Efforts to that end will step up a gear when Madeleine's uncle and aunt John and Philomena McCann lobby MPs and Lords in parliament to support their cause.Portuguese police said they did not have enough evidence to formally arrest or charge their suspect.Mr Murat was questioned while his house, just yards from where the four-year-old was snatched from her bed, was searched by forensic experts.Speaking off camera to Sky News he said: "This has ruined my life and has made things very difficult for my family here and in Britain."The only way I will survive this is if they catch Madeleine's abductor."I have been made a scapegoat for something I did not do."Mr Murat's mother's villa, at the end of the road which leads to the flat where the McCanns were staying when the youngster was snatched, was one of five properties in the area of Praia Da Luz which was searched.Despite the intense focus near the flat where they are living, waiting for a breakthrough, the McCanns have carried on with family life as normal.

Gordon Brown shows support with the rest of government.... bring her home!

Chancellor Gordon Brown offered to help the family of Madeleine McCann on Wednesday as they continued their search in Portugal for the missing four-year-old.The girl's aunt Philomena McCann said Brown gave her "moral support", while Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott told MPs the government was doing "everything it could to help".Some MPs wore yellow ribbons in support of the family, who are enduring their 13th day since Madeleine was snatched from their villa on the Algarve in southern Portugal."Like everyone in the country, we hope and pray for the safe return of Madeleine," Prescott told parliament.In Leicester, Gerry and Kate McCann's family, friends and colleagues launched a fund to help pay for the rising costs of the search."This fund will be a vehicle to help our family get our darling wee niece back," the girl's uncle John McCann told a news conference.Former England rugby union captain Martin Johnson lent his support, saying: "As a parent, as a father, it really does hit home."Portuguese police said on Tuesday they had identified a suspect in their investigation.A day earlier, they searched a villa close to the complex from where Madeleine went missing and took away a British man, Robert Murat, for questioning."There is a suspect," a spokeswoman for the judicial police said but there is not enough evidence to make an arrest."The judicial police continue to follow the strongest lead and we hope that in the short term there will be more developments," chief inspector Olegario Sousa told a news conference.Murat often spoke to reporters in the days just after the May 3 disappearance of Madeleine, saying she looked like his daughter in England.His mother's house, "Casa Liliana," is about 150 metres from the resort apartment where the McCann family was staying when their daughter disappeared.

Search To Be Extended Across Europe!!!

Police are investigating a web designer linked to the key suspect in the Madeleine McCann investigation.Detectives swooped on the home of 22-year-old Sergey Malinka, who designed a website for suspect Robert Murat, in Praia da Luz.After spending two hours inside, the plain clothes officers emerged carrying two hard drives, a laptop and a black bin bag full of items.Mr Malinka, who neighbours said was Russian and lived in the town for around seven years, was brought out by the detectives and driven off.During the search a courtyard surrounding the entrance to his apartment where he was believed to live with his parents, was sealed off.The search followed the announcement on Tuesday by Portugal's Policia Judiciaria that they now had a suspect.Mr Murat, who strenuously denies any involvement in Madeleine's abduction, was taken in for questioning by the PJ two nights ago before being released.While he was being questioned, police were searching his mother's house just a short distance from where Madeleine was snatched. Among items said to have been removed was a computer and other communications equipment.Although police say they do not have enough evidence to charge or even formally arrest Mr Murat, he is the first person they have formally cast as a "Arguido" - suspect.The latest twist in the case came on the day that relatives of the McCanns launched a fighting fund to pay for international efforts aimed at bringing Madeleine home safely.

Search To Be Extended Across Europe!!!

The parents of a four-year-old British girl who went missing in southern Portugal two weeks ago will extend their search for their daughter across Europe, a close relative said Thursday.Michael Wright told a news conference outside the resort in Praia da Luz from where Madeleine McCann vanished on May 3 that posters bearing the little girl's face would soon appear across the continent."If Madeleine is not in Portugal, we want to make sure people have an image of her across Europe. This can only help," he said.A fund set up by the family on Wednesday to gather donations had received offers of financial help from private citizens and multinationals which would help make the European poster campaign possible, he added.The fund's website received five million hits on Thursday, Wright said, adding that Madeleine's parents were encouraged by the help they were receiving."Jerry and Kate are taking strength from the support they are receiving around the world," he said."They are trying to keep the focus on what they can do rather than go to the dark places of the early days," he added.The search for Madeleine has dominated headlines and topped newscasts in Britain and Portugal. She was aged three when she disappeared but turned four on May 12.Police earlier this week identified a 33-year-old British man who lives in Praia da Luz as a suspect but said they did not have enough evidence to charge him.

Car Hire Probed

The only suspect in the abduction of Madeleine McCann has denied there was anything sinister in his hiring a car two days after the four-year-old disappeared from her holiday apartment.Staff at the car rental firm in Praia da Luz, Portugal, grew suspicious about Robert Murat's behaviour when he came in on Saturday and reported him to police. Documents show he hired a Hyundai Getz from Auto Rent III from Saturday to Tuesday.Anglo-Portuguese Mr Murat, 33, was interviewed on Monday and the following day he was named as the first "arguido" or suspect in the case.Car rental sales assistant Maria Rocio said: "There was something about his voice when he asked for the car. He was saying, 'I need to have the car quickly'. His voice was very impatient. When I said he could not have it straightaway, he said, 'Oh, maybe I need to try somewhere else'."But Tuck Price, a Murat family friend, said Mr Murat only needed the hire car because his mother Jenny was using their one vehicle to transport tables for a stall appealing for information about Madeleine.Mr Murat's home in Praia da Luz, just yards from the spot where four-year-old Madeleine was abducted 15 days ago, has been the centre of intense police activity.The Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha has reported that police have so far found no traces of Madeleine anywhere in Mr Murat's villa. Mr Murat has told police he was at home with his mother on the night Madeleine went missing.Although police say they do not have enough evidence to charge or even formally arrest Mr Murat, he is the first person they have formally classed as a suspect. Mr Murat strenuously denies any involvement in Madeleine's abduction, but faces jail under Portuguese law if he speaks out to clear his name.The international campaign to find Madeleine is gathering pace, with more than 50 million people visiting a new website appealing for information about her abduction, according to its organisers. Meanwhile detectives are examining telephone calls between Mr Murat and a Russian computer expert on the night the little girl was abducted.Sergey Malinka, 22, who designed a website for Mr Murat, insisted he had nothing to do with Madeleine's disappearance after being questioned by detectives until the early hours of Thursday morning

Parents Still Remain Hopeful

The parents of four-year-old Madeleine McCann, who vanished more than two weeks ago from a Portuguese resort, remain positive she will be found, the priest who married the couple said on Friday."They remain very, very positive and will do all that they can to find Madeleine," Father Seddon told journalists at the Praia da Luz resort where Madeleine was abducted 15 days ago.He said her father, Gerry, had told him he could see light at the end of the tunnel and that everything was still possible."Gerry spoke of a tidal wave of destruction that Madeleine's disappearance had caused him but then he said he was met by a tidal wave of empathy and love which has been turned into action and hope," he said.Chief inspector Olegario Sousa said late on Thursday police continued to follow their strongest lead in the investigation, which has centred on foreigners in the small resort.So far one suspect has been identified by police -- a 33-year-old who lives in the area -- but his name has not been made public.The search for Madeleine has received widespread media attention all over the world.Soccer stars including David Beckham and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo have made appeals for Madeleine while wealthy individuals, including author JK Rowling, have offered large rewards for information leading to her return

Maddie Sited In Morocco???

A Norwegian tourist has claimed she might have spotted Madeleine McCann in Morocco.Marie Olli, who lives in Spain and once lived in Leicestershire, says she saw a blonde girl who looked just like the four-year-old at a petrol station in the city of Marrakech nine days ago.The "sad" girl initially appeared to be standing on her own, but Olli claims an "anonymous-looking" man in his late 30s then came over and the girl asked him: "Can I see mummy soon?"News of this alleged sighting comes as it has been revealed a video appealing for the whereabouts of Madeleine will be shown at the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in London.The two-minute clip was earlier screened at the Uefa Cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol in Glasgow on Wednesday.Madeleine was abducted 16 days ago as she slept in her bed in her parents' holiday apartment in the seaside village of Praia da Luz, Portugal.Her parents have restated their belief that their daughter will be found.Family priest, Father Paul Seddon, who is in Portugal to support the McCanns, revealed that mum and dad, Gerry and Kate have never stopped believing that they will see four-year-old Madeleine again.He said the initial shock of the disappearance lead to a "feeling of helplessness and devastation", but they had overcome it."Gerry and Kate would not allow it - they knew it would have simply destroyed them as people and reduced the chance of finding Madeleine," Father Seddon added.Rewards amounting to £2.5 million have been offered to anyone with information which could lead to the safe return of the four-year-old.Meanwhile, it has emerged that there have been inconsistencies in a key witness's accounts of his relationship with the only suspect in the case.Computer expert Sergey Malinka, 22, is believed to have told police that he had not spoken to British suspect, Robert Murat for a year, but according to a newspaper, phone records indicate that he was called by Murat on the night Madeleine went missing.Portuguese police are continuing to examine telephone calls between the pair.

Maddys Father to come home.... Maddys Mother Cant Bear To Leave Portugal

The father of missing Madeleine McCann is set to fly to the UK to make arrangements for the international campaign to find his daughter.Gerry McCann is expected to spend just over 24 hours away from his wife Kate and twin children Sean and Amelie in the family's first time apart since Madeleine's abduction.Mr McCann is making the visit to deal with "personal matters" as well as to meet organisers of the Find Madeleine fund.Mrs McCann will remain at the family's temporary holiday apartment in Praia da Luz where they continue to wait for news of the four-year-old who was snatched from her bed 17 days ago.Mr McCann is expected to be back by his wife's side on Tuesday morning.A spokeswoman for the family in Portugal said: "He will be talking to the people who are organising the fund."Although it will be the first time the couple, who have repeatedly stood together hand in hand appealing for their daughter's return, have been separated since the abduction the spokeswoman emphasised that Mr McCann was returning to Britain to do "positive" things.She said: "He's very focussed, he is going out there for very practical reasons and he's going to get back here as quickly as he can."It is thought that the visit would enable the couple to set matters in order to enable them to stay in Portugal for the foreseeable future while they wait for Madeleine's return.Last week Mrs McCann said that she "couldn't even consider" leaving Portugal at present.

Minutes Silence held For Maddy

An unofficial one minute's silence has been held for missing Madeleine McCann.The four-year-old's mother, Kate McCann, observed the midday silence, said Sky News correspondent Ian Woods in Portugal.She slipped into her apartment after praying for 50 minutes in a church in Praia Da Luz.The silence was organised by an anonymous viral email so it was not thought to be widely observed.Tourist Catherine Morrisson, 59, of County Cork, was among those to fall silent in a Praia Da Luz supermarket."It was a brilliant idea to show respect for the family and friends and relatives," she said.Meanwhile, the father of Madeleine is in the UK for his first visit home since his daughter was abducted 18 days ago.Gerry McCann will use his trip to meet organisers of the Find Madeleine fund and attend to personal matters - in preparation for an expected prolonged stay in Portugal.Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's uncle, told Sky News the visit would be a "short one".Mr McCann will also use the opportunity to pick up new pictures and videos to help with the international search campaign.He may visit the main square in his home village of Rothley, Leicestershire, where thousands of well-wishers have tied yellow ribbons.It is the first time he has been apart from wife Kate and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie since Madeleine was taken from their Algarve holiday apartment.The McCanns have said they are convinced their daughter is still alive and have vowed to stay in the Algarve for the foreseeable future, co-ordinating an international campaign to get her back.They are believed to be considering a round-Europe mission to spread awareness of Madeleine's abduction in the hope that she will be found.:: The findmadeleine website, which carries a diary from the McCann family, has now received almost 100 million hits.That does not mean 100 million people have visited the site. Every web page download from a website may contain mulitple files that are included in the hits figure

Police Appeal For Holiday Snaps

British police have appealed for holiday snaps to help identify the person who abducted Madeleine McCann.They want anyone who took pictures in the Portuguese resort where the four-year-old went missing to send in their digital photographs.A special website been launched to receive the anticipated deluge of images.In Praia da Luz, Madeleine's mother, Kate McCann, observed an unofficial minute's silence at midday.The silence was organised by an anonymous viral email.Tourist Catherine Morrison, 59, of County Cork, was among those to fall silent in a Praia da Luz supermarket."It was a brilliant idea to show respect for the family and friends and relatives," she said.Madeleine's father is in the UK for his first visit home since his daughter was abducted 18 days ago.Gerry McCann is using the trip to meet organisers of the Find Madeleine fund and attend to personal matters - in preparation for an expected prolonged stay in Portugal.Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's uncle, told Sky News the visit would be a "short one".Mr McCann will also use the opportunity to pick up new pictures and videos to help with the international search campaign.He is expected to visit the main square in his home village of Rothley, Leicestershire, where thousands of well-wishers have tied yellow ribbons.It is the first time he has been apart from wife Kate and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie since Madeleine was taken from their Algarve holiday apartment.The McCanns have said they are convinced their daughter is still alive and have vowed to stay in the Algarve for the foreseeable future, co-ordinating an international campaign to get her back.They are believed to be considering a round-Europe mission to spread awareness of Madeleine's abduction in the hope that she will be found.

Suspect Collapses

The only suspect in the case of abducted Madeleine McCann has collapsed in front of his family, a friend has said.It is the second time Robert Murat, 33, has fainted since he was questioned over the abduction of the four-year-old girl from her parents' holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3.As the father of missing Madeleine McCann visited the shrine to his missing daughter in his hometown on Monday, Tuck Price, a family friend of the Murats, said: "He collapsed right in front of his entire family."Mr Price said a doctor had checked Mr Murat and found no problems with his blood pressure, but he added that the faint showed the massive strain he has been under since being named as a suspect

Mccanns visit holiest site in Portugal to pray for Miracle

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann are to make a pilgrimage to the holiest site in Portugal to pray for a miracle: the safe return of their daughter.They will visit the town of Fatima, home to a shrine that is visited by millions of Catholic pilgrims every year.The trip may well prove to be the first step in an expected European tour aimed at spreading news of Madeleine's abduction across the continent.And it will be the first time since Madeleine's mother Kate McCann has left Praia da Luz since her daughter was snatched from the resort on May 3.Friends said Mrs McCann had considered making the four-hour trip even before Madeleine was abducted and has been set on making the journey ever since.The Sanctuary of Fatima was built to commemorate the events of 1917 when three peasant children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary.Just 10 days ago, on the weekend of Madeleine's birthday, around 300,000 pilgrims flocked to Fatima to mark the 90th anniversary of one of the visions.Many were holding up pictures of Madeleine and praying for her safe return.Kate and Gerry McCann have said they will do what it takes to keep their daughter's image in the media spotlight, in the hope she will be returned."We will travel wherever is necessary to ensure people across Europe recognise Madeleine's picture and encourage them to come forward with information," Mr McCann said."We are going to monitor the media exposure throughout Europe and then we will decide along with our campaign manager and press team where we need to go to make maximum impact."

3 week milestone in hunt for maddy

Today marks three weeks since four-year-old Madeleine McCann was snatched from her bed - her parents are clinging to the hope that she is still alive and well.Gerry and Kate McCann, both 38, have spent the past 21 days waiting for news of their daughter's whereabouts.Police in the Algarve holiday resort of Praia de Luz have re-questioned two people over Madeleine's disappearance.But with no news on their daughter, the McCanns are now thought to be planning a European tour in a bid to spread their daughter's image across the continent in the hope that she will be spotted and rescued.Today they are expected to begin planning visits to several countries to make personal appeals.A spokesman for the McCanns said that discussions regarding the tour would begin in earnest over the next few days.Backed by an army of friends and family in Portugal and Britain, the campaign has attracted the attention of at least 115 million web users.Yesterday, they were showered with kisses and hugs as they left Portugal's holiest site in the town of Fatima before praying privately for almost an hour in a separate chapel.:: Later today in London there will be a large-scale projection onto Marble Arch of a new yellow ribbon symbol, as part of the rebranding of the Missing People charity.The charity, formerly the National Missing Persons Helpline, is officially relaunching tomorrow, on International Missing Children's Day.

Maddys uncle visits Missin People Charity to mark International Missin Childrens Day

Madeleine McCann's uncle has told of the family's devastation over the four-year-old's disappearance.John McCann spoke as he visited the Missing People charity to mark International Missing Children's Day.And he offered a message of hope to all other families who are missing a loved one.He said: "I'm sure that you all can relate to the horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach and the complete turmoil that hits us. The initial waves of sickness and mental upset was completely overwhelming."None of us was able to think clearly. We just could not take in that someone had done this to our wee lovely Madeleine. These things just don't happen to normal families. But it had."For all families that are coping with a disappearance, your pain will be like ours and some of them will have carried it for longer than we have."What I want to do is show that you can remain hopeful. The key part is realising that there is a channel of support and that is where the charity Missing People comes in."Meanwhile, Madeleine's parents have vowed not to lose hope as International Missing Children's Day is marked around the world.Madeleine will be the focus of many international events more than three weeks after she was snatched from her parents' holiday apartment in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve, Portugal.In a message carried in the Portuguese press, Gerry and Kate McCann identified with parents of missing children in all countries. "We, like parents of missing children around the world, will not lose hope," they said.

Mccanns will not 'lose hope'

The parents of abducted toddler Madeleine McCann have vowed not to lose hope as International Missing Children's Day is marked around the world.In a message carried this morning in the Portuguese press, Gerry and Kate McCann identified with parents of missing children in all countries.The couple thanked "everyone throughout Portugal and beyond for the overwhelming love, support and hospitality they have shown us since Madeleine's disappearance."The youngster was abducted from her holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, on the Algarve, Portugal, just over three weeks ago, as Mr and Mrs McCann dined nearby.The couple also praised Portuguese police for "their hard work and determination" during the investigation.They added: "We, like parents of missing children around the world, will not lose hope. The only thing that will make us happy is Madeleine's safe return, something every parent will understand."To mark International Missing Children's Day, a picture of the missing four-year-old was beamed onto Marble Arch in London last night.Later, Mrs McCann is expected to attend a private lunch with a children's charity as Madeleine becomes the focus of events across Europe.In Britain, Mr McCann's brother John visited the London head office of the National Missing Persons Helpline to highlight its work and spoke of the family's devastation over Madeleine's disappearance.He offered a message of hope to all other families who are missing a loved one.He said: "I'm sure that you all can relate to the horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach and the complete turmoil that hits us. The initial waves of sickness and mental upset was completely overwhelming."None of us was able to think clearly. We just could not take in that someone had done this to our wee lovely Madeleine. These things just don't happen to normal families. But it had."For all families that are coping with a disappearance, your pain will be like ours and some of them will have carried it for longer than we have."What I want to do is show that you can remain hopeful. The key part is realising that there is a channel of support and that is where the charity Missing People comes in."International Missing Children's Day originates from the disappearance on May 25, 1979, of six-year-old Etan Patz in New York. According to the US Department of Justice 797,500 children are reported missing each year.EU figures show that in Italy around 1,850 minors go missing each year, with just over 1,000 in Belgium. In the UK, Home Office estimates show 210,000 people reported missing each year with up to two-thirds under the age of 18.The figures include runaways and family tug-of-love snatches.

Mccann friend 'may have seen abduction'

friend of Madeleine McCann's parents may have seen her being carried away from her holiday apartment the night she vanished, police said.A "witness" reported seeing a man carrying "an object that could have been a child" in the Algarve village of Praia Da Luz at 9.30pm on May 3 - while Madeleine's parents were finishing dinner nearby.A source indicated on Friday night that the sighting - the most striking so far in the case - was by one of the couple's party who has not been named.On Friday night Policia Judiciaria finally released a description of the man seen that night in the face of possible legal action by Madeleine's parents.The information, likely to have been released early on as a matter of course in other countries, had to be sanctioned by the public prosecutor.It followed an "amicable" meeting with senior Portuguese police and the McCanns which is believed to have taken place on Thursday.It is thought the PJ have known about the sighting for three weeks but have not released it for that reason.The description - which tallies closely to details being circulated at the time but never publicised - is of a white man, approximately 35 to 40 years old, of medium build and 5ft 10ins tall. He was described as wearing a dark jacket, light beige trousers and dark shoes.On Friday the McCanns gave their first interviews and spoke of their feelings of "guilt" at not being there when their daughter was taken.But they defended themselves against accusations that they were irresponsible, outlining how they had an arrangement with other parents in their group to continually check on the children throughout the evening

Police forced to make U turn in maddy case

Portuguese police were forced to make an embarrassing U-turn after the parents of missing Madeleine McCann held discussions with prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown, it has emerged.The Chancellor spoke to Gerry McCann on several occasions in recent days and pledged to do everything he could to support the family.The McCanns were desperate to release details about a man seen carrying what was thought to be a child on the night Madeleine went missing and had threatened legal action. But after a meeting between the couple and senior Portuguese officials, the police relented and a physical description was issued.Mr McCann said the talks were amicable and constructive and insisted the sighting could prove "significant and relevant" in finding the four-year-old. It is 23 days since Madeleine was snatched from her bed in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz.Mr McCann said he and wife Kate wanted "more than anything" to get their daughter back. Appealing for help, he said: "Any information, no matter how unimportant you think it could be might be vital in helping the Portuguese and British police find our daughter."After making their plea, the couple spent the afternoon with their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, and took them swimming. They are determined to make life as normal for the children as they wait for any news of their elder sister.Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family, said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine."The McCanns are convinced that a white man aged around 35 to 40 spotted by a friend of the couple near their apartment at 9.30 pm was holding Madeleine.He was medium build, 5ft 10in tall, wearing a dark jacket and beige trousers.Portuguese police have known about the sighting for three weeks but because of laws which forbid the release of details of an investigation the sighting could not be publicly released.

Mccanns believe lead is significant

On Saturday the Mccanns said that they believed a sighting of a possible suspect was "significant and relevant."Madeleine McCann vanished from the southern Algarve holiday resort of Praia da Luz three weeks ago and police said Friday they wanted to find a man spotted with what appeared to be a child in his arms on the night she was taken.Her father Gerry, standing alongside wife Kate in the town, said in a televised statement: "We feel sure that this sighting of a man with what appeared to be a child in his arms is both significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction and we would appeal once again to anyone who may have seen him or anything else suspicious on or around May 3 to come forward and tell police."For instance, was this man seen anywhere else in or near the town with a child or what appeared to be a child, what direction was he heading in, did he have a vehicle?"The man is described as 35 to 40 years old with short hair on top which was long at the back. He was wearing a dark jacket and light trousers.Meanwhile, it emerged that Gerry McCann had spoken directly to British prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown in recent days.In comments quoted by the BBC online, a family spokesman said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown."During them, Mr. Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private."Brown had previously offered assistance in the case when he met family members in Britain.The Observer weekly added that the Portuguese authorities, who are bound by strict secrecy laws, reversed their longstanding refusal to release details of the possible suspect after Brown asked the Foreign Office to put pressure on them.Prince Charles and his wife Camilla said they had been following the McCann case "closely and with deep concern" and "fervently hoped" she would be found safe and sound, according to aides in London.Their remarks were the latest in a series of high-profile messages of support for the family.Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, footballer Wayne Rooney and Harry Potter author JK Rowling have all offered financial rewards for information leading to her safe return.

100's of calls over maddy 20 days ago

Police in Portugal hunting for missing Madeleine McCann have received hundreds of calls after releasing a detailed description of a suspect, an official has said.The four-year-old has been missing for 24 days after she was snatched from her bed in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3.Her parents Gerry and Kate, both 38, have made repeated appeals for information and forced the Portuguese police - who do not normally reveal any information about a case - to back down and give the suspect's description to the public.The change in attitude came after discussions between Mr McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown earlier this week. On Sunday, the Policia Judiciaria (PJ) said most of the calls related to the description released on Friday.A white man aged between 35 and 40 was seen by a female friend of the McCanns near the apartment, holding what was thought to be a child at around 9.30pm on the night Madeleine disappeared. It is understood he was only seen from behind and it was not clear in which direction he was heading.Spokesman Olegario Sousa told Portuguese paper Correio da Manha: "The parents of Madeleine had already asked us to reveal the details which could help in the investigation. The release of the description was authorised by the ministerio publico (public prosecutor)."A number of sightings have been reported, including 72-year-old Jose Francisco who came forward on Saturday, claiming to have seen a couple with a young child behaving strangely near Luz.He told the Jornal de Noticias: "A couple with a girl inside a car went the wrong way down a one way street and made many dangerous manoeuvres."On Sunday the McCanns attended the regular church service in the town.The number of hits on the find Madeleine website has now risen to 128 million.

Maddys parents to meet pope

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann will go to Rome to meet the Pope in a high-profile visit designed to offer them support and raise awareness of their daughter's plight.The final arrangements are being put in place, and barring any last minute hitches, Kate and Gerry McCann expect to meet the Pontiff on Wednesday.Mrs McCann is a devout Catholic and the couple have leant heavily on their faith throughout the last three-and-a-half weeks.They have attended church regularly and visited Portugal's holiest shrine last week.The couple will attend a general audience in Rome and it is hoped Pope Benedict XVI will refer to Madeleine during prayers in St Peter's Square. They feel the trip will "help them spiritually".The visit will be the first of a number the couple are planning to make to countries including Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.It is 25 days since Madeleine, now aged four, was taken from her bed as she slept in the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve.On Monday morning the couple made their now routine trip to the nearby creche to drop off twins Sean and Amelie while the details of their trip were arranged.They have received two offers of private jets to use. One is thought to have been offered by multi-millionaire British tycoon Philip Green.Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has spoken to Mr McCann about their visit to the Pope, his office said.

Radio Stations Unite

The campaign to help find missing girl Madeleine McCann continued Monday as 200 private radio stations agreed to play the Simple Mind song "Don't You Forget About Me."The stations joined a campaign by businessmen, celebrities, athletes and ordinary people aimed at finding the four-year-old British girl, who went missing three weeks ago from the southern Algarve holiday resort of Praia da Luz.Radio Clyde, based in the Scottish city of Glasgow, where Madeleine's father Gerry is from, said the broadcast was an initiative by commercial radio stations nationwide, including stations in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.McCann vanished May 3 from the family's holiday apartment while her parents were dining nearby and police said Friday they wanted to find a man spotted with what appeared to be a child in his arms on the night she was taken.

Videos to be released of maddy

The family of missing Madeleine McCann have released two video clips of their daughter.They were captured on a family friend's mobile phone the day the family left for their holiday in Portugal.Kate McCann has watched them regularly over the last 26 days since her daughter was abducted.In the images, blonde Madeleine, now aged four, can be seen wearing pink shorts, a light pink top and trainers.One clip - 13 seconds long - shows her sitting on an airport bus, the other - nine seconds - is of her boarding the flight. Holding hands with another little girl, she loses her footing and slips, grazing her shin on the third step.Speaking movingly about his daughter, Gerry McCann said she was so thrilled about going to Portugal, she refused to get upset about hurting herself.Holding her little pink rucksack, he said: "She was really brave. She started crying but stopped almost immediately."When we got to the top of the steps I saw she had grazed her shin. It looked really sore - the step was just the right height for her leg."It was something that usually would have caused ten minutes of crying rather than ten seconds."Meanwhile, Madeleine's parents will travel to Rome later to prepare for their meeting with the Pope.The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, will leave the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz where their daughter was abducted.It is the first time Mrs McCann has left Portugal since Madeleine disappeared. They are expected to use British retail tycoon Philip Green's private jet for the trip.They will be part of a general audience at the Vatican and will be introduced to the Pope at the end of the session.Mrs McCann wants to give Pope Benedict XVI a photograph of her daughter.

Maddelines Parents Prav with Pope

Madeleine McCann's parents made a spiritual and emotional pilgrimage to Rome to pray with the Pope for their missing daughter.Kate and Gerry McCann both shed tears at times during the general audience in St Peter's Square at the Vatican.But afterwards they insisted it had been a positive experience and provided great strength as they continued the hunt for their missing daughter. Four-year-old Madeleine was snatched 27 days ago from the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.On Wednesday her parents sat just 20 yards away from the Holy Father during the religious ceremony before speaking to him for a little less than 30 seconds. He prayed with both of them, while Mr McCann bowed and kissed his hand. Looking solemnly at the couple, he leant forward to bless a photograph of Madeleine.Mr McCann said afterwards: "It was more personal than I could ever imagine it could have been. There was recognition immediately, looking at Madeleine's photograph. His touch, words and thoughts were more tender than we could have thought."His wife added: "It was very emotional but it was a very positive experience really, it has been very helpful to us. He was very kind, he said he would pray for us and our family and continue to have faith for us."The couple said they had mixed emotions about being at The Vatican, because it was tinged with sadness that Madeleine is still missing. Mr McCann said: "In other circumstances of course it would be the highlight for any Catholic to meet the Pope. It is tainted with the very marked realisation that our daughter is still missing."Mr McCann said the most difficult aspect of Madeleine's abduction was not knowing where she is. "We're still in the middle of a race and we do not know how long it is going to be. I do not know how we will have changed but I think it is fair to say we will never be the same again."The couple, both 38, wore sombre dark suits for their encounter with Pope Benedict XVI, while Mrs McCann carried black rosary beads alongside two pictures of her daughter. One of them, showing Madeleine dressed in pink, is the main photograph used for an appeal poster which has been seen around the world. The strain of losing their daughter was clear to see.At one point in Wednesday's ceremony, an English-speaking priest issued a prayer on behalf of the Pope to the 35,000-strong crowd, saying: "In a special way his blessing goes to your children and your loved ones."

After neaely a month the McCanns decide to search Spain too

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann are taking the search for their daughter to Spain.Kate and Gerry McCann will take part in a TV programme in Madrid which is dedicated to missing children before holding a news conference.It is now more than a month since the four year-old vanished in Portugal.During the 24-hour visit, Kate and Gerry McCann are also expected to meet the British ambassador, Denise Holt.They also hope to meet Alfredo Rubalcaba, Spain's interior minister, as well as representatives from child welfare groups and anti-paedophile organisations.Four-year-old Madeleine was snatched from the family's hotel room in the Algarve on May 3.After 28 days with no breakthrough in the police investigation, there is still only one named suspect in the case - Robert Murat.The McCanns, from Rothley, Leicestershire, have led a tireless campaign to find their daughter. They want to raise Madeleine's profile across Europe and plan to visit Berlin, Amsterdam and even Morocco over the next ten days

McCanns step out of the spotlight

After days of relentless campaigning, the parents of missing Madeleine McCann stepped out of the media spotlight on Saturday to spend time with their young twins.Kate and Gerry McCann, both 38, spent last week travelling around Europe, meeting the Pope at the Vatican and making high profile appeals in Madrid.They plan to fly to Berlin on Wednesday, on to Amsterdam and then to Morocco a few days later to raise the profile of Madeleine's case.But on Saturday the McCanns concentrated on two-year-olds Sean and Amelie, taking them swimming and to the beach.The family has been given a key to the local church to allow them time to pray in private if they wish.It is 30 days since Madeleine was snatched from her bed as she slept in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.It emerged yesterday that Portuguese police, the Policia Judiciara (PJ), have given hundreds of DNA samples taken from the scene to forensic scientists.Evidence of a mystery "sixth" person was found in the bedroom where the little girl was sleeping. Police are trying to identify the profile, but it is not thought to match that of chief suspect Robert Murat.DNA has been taken from Mr and Mrs McCann, their children and the 12 other friends who were part of the same group from the UK for the week long holiday last month. Samples have also been gathered from employees at the Mark Warner Ocean Club resort where the McCann family was staying.Mr and Mrs McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire, have said they have no intention of leaving Portugal without Madeleine

One Month On, Parents Still Keep Hope

The parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann said on Sunday it could take "just one phone call" for her to be found as they marked a month since the four-year-old disappeared from a villa in Portugal.Gerry and Kate McCann have maintained a high-profile campaign to find their daughter since she went missing from a villa on the Algarve on May 3."It is incredibly difficult not having Madeleine here," the couple said in a statement."As every day, and every week, becomes a month, we still believe she is out there alive and we remain positive and determined that we will find her soon with everyone's help."We do realise it is just one phone call that we need. We just want her home."The parents, who have travelled to Spain and met Pope Benedict to publicise their appeals, are reported to be planning to travel to Berlin and Amsterdam this week.In an interview with German newspaper Berliner Morgenpost on Sunday, Gerry McCann said there was still hope."We talk about hope and as long as there is hope, we are not giving up," he said. "At the moment, we are very hopeful."Kate McCann said she hoped Madeleine was safe and was being cared for."We know there are evil people out there, but there are also confused people. We do not know who this person is. We hope the latter."

Maddie to be featured on Crimewatch

The abduction of Madeleine McCann is expected to feature on Crimewatch as her parents redoubled their efforts to find the little girl, a family spokesman said.After a weekend spent with two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, Kate and Gerry McCann are preparing to travel to Germany and the Netherlands in the search for their four-year-old.It is now 32 days since she was snatched from her bed in the family's apartment in the Algarve resort town of Praia da Luz.It is hoped that an appeal will be made on the BBC1 programme on Tuesday night at 9pm. By then, the McCanns will be in Berlin to highlight Madeleine's disappearance.The family spokesman said: "Crimewatch is very important and it has a large audience."At one stage we felt the message was out there so utterly in Britain but we now feel it is more relevant."Last week, Mr and Mrs McCann spoke at length about their daughter's abduction on Spanish television missing persons programme Los Mas Buscados, or Most Wanted.Before they leave for Germany, the McCanns want to meet Portuguese police officials for an update on the investigation.It has been 11 days since they had a "constructive and amicable" meeting, which led to the release of a description of a suspect which they had been aware of from the outset.A meeting planned with police officials fell through last week.

Woman Arrested Over Madeleine CON

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of making bogus collections for the Madeleine McCann fund, it has emerged.Staffordshire Police said the 33-year-old, from Chadsmoor, Cannock, was detained last Friday after being given cash by residents in the Johnson Road area of the town.The woman, who is understood to have admitted that the collections were not genuine, has been bailed until June 30.Inspector Mat Derrick, commander of Cannock Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said: "We are not aware of any legitimate door-to-door collections in the area for this fund and would urge anyone who has given money to this woman at the door to contact us immediately."

Gerry McCann The Father Of Madeleine

The father of missing Madeleine McCann has insisted it is more likely she is alive than dead.Gerry McCann and his wife Kate are in the German capital Berlin to seek information about their four-year-old daughter who was kidnapped 34 days ago in the Algarve.Their visit has provoked considerable interest and coincides with the first day of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm in the north of the country.The British couple, from Rothley in Leicestershire, are on a whirlwind schedule of interviews and meetings, racing from one venue to another.Portugal is a popular destination among Germans and the couple hope someone might have seen something which could prove useful to the police investigation.Asked about their fears for Madeleine, Mr McCann said: "We have got to keep going, we believe she is alive. There is an absence of evidence to the contrary. We think it is more likely that she is alive than not alive."Mrs McCann, wearing green and yellow ribbons tied to her waist, added: "There has been a lot of speculation and it is hard not to think the worst."But as time goes on and there still isn't any news, we have to think positively."The chances of this happening is effectively more than 100 million to one - the chances of a good outcome have to be at least as good, if not better."On a German breakfast TV show, the McCanns described Madeleine's abduction as the "most devastating thing in the world".

Mystery Phone Call Calls Hope On Missing Maddie

A mystery phone call from a man claiming to know the whereabouts of missing Madeleine McCann could provide a new lead in the case, it has emerged.The caller provided such detail that Kate and Gerry McCann put their European search for their daughter on hold in case they needed to act.The couple were informed of the potential development while in Germany, where they were appealing for information about their four-year-old child. It is 35 days since Madeleine was abducted from her bed in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.The "credible" call was taken from a man who wanted to speak directly to the McCanns, according to a Spanish police source. It was traced to an unregistered pay-as-you-go phone from an unidentified country but not thought to be Morocco, where a previous possible sighting of Madeleine was reported.The caller did not reveal his identity or nationality, but the information was considered important enough to alert Mr and Mrs McCann, the source said.At around 3pm on Wednesday, the couple - who were about to go to Tempelhof airport in Berlin to fly on to the Netherlands - were advised that the caller might try to contact them, so they stayed on at the British embassy.At 6pm, journalists travelling in the eight-seater private jet with the McCanns were told by the flight crew that there might be a change in destination. They revealed they had been asked to draw up a new flight plan involving a possible change from Amsterdam to East Midlands Airport.It was thought the McCanns might need to go back to the UK to talk to advisers about the call.But all efforts to re-establish contact with the man failed and the couple decided to go on to Amsterdam. They left Berlin at 7.30pm, three hours later than planned, for the hour-long flight to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to continue their search. Mr and Mrs McCann are thought to be on standby, ready to return to the UK if necessary.A Spanish police source said: "A man called saying he knew where Madeleine was and wanted to speak to the McCanns. This did not appear to be a crank call and the information was felt credible enough to warrant the couple being informed immediately."

McCanns Appeal To Dutch

Madeleine McCann's parents have appealed to Dutch travellers who were in Portugal a month ago to help in the search for their daughter.They have urged holidaymakers to look through their photographs for any clue that might help them find Madeleine who was abducted on May 3.Kate McCann said: "It's important any photographs, ones that aren't just scenery and ones that aren't just family members they could be potentially useful."Photos showing images of non-family members should be uploaded to a special website for police viewing, Gerry McCann said.The McCanns plan to travel to Morocco next in their tireless search for the four-year-old, who they still believe is alive.Earlier, the couple had put their European tour on hold following a mystery phone call from a man who said he knew the whereabouts of Madeleine.The caller did not reveal his identity or nationality,but the information was considered important enough to alert the McCanns. But all efforts to re-establish contact with the caller failed.It is 35 days since Madeleine was abducted from her bed in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz

McCanns Win Support From Morrocans

The parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann said on Monday they won support from the Moroccan government in their search for their four-year-old daughter, more than a month after she disappeared from Portugal.Gerry and Kate McCann met top government officials including Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa and the police chief when they took their high-profile campaign to Morocco."Kate and I believe, after the meetings today with officials from the government in Morocco and non-government organisations, that if Madeleine is here in Morocco, then she will be found," Gerry told a news conference.The McCanns, who have met Pope Benedict to publicise their appeal and travelled to Spain, Berlin and Amsterdam to meet tourists who may have seen Madeleine during their holidays in Portugal, still knew nothing about their daughter's fate."Despite a large investigation, we are still very uncertain about who has taken her, what the motive is and where they have gone," Gerry said. Madeleine was snatched from the McCanns' holiday apartment in southern Portugal while they ate at a restaurant only 100 metres (yards) away.The parents have taken their campaign to find Madeleine outside Portugal because they have no firm evidence that their daughter is still there.Gerry said he suspected Madeleine might have been brought to Morocco via Spain because, he says, border police were not alerted to her disappearance until 12 hours after she went missing -- enough time to move the girl across the two borders.Several ferries a day leave Tarifa in Spain on the short crossing to Tangiers.Security officials in Rabat said they had no evidence that Madeleine was brought to Morocco beyond an unconfirmed report by a European tourist, who said she might have seen a girl bearing some resemblance to her in Marrakech.The parents leave Morocco for home late on Monday for a "bit of reflection" before resuming their campaign. "We have no idea other than finding Madeleine," Gerry added

New Blow In Maddie Case

The investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is in chaos after the detective leading the hunt for her was charged with criminal offences over another missing child case.As British couple Kate and Gerry McCann arrived in Morocco yesterday for the final leg of their publicity campaign to find their daughter, Goncalo Amaral and four other Portuguese police officers were charged with offences relating to the inquiry into the disappearance of Joana Cipriano from a village 11km from where Madeleine was abducted. The nine-year-old has not been seen since her disappearance three years ago but her mother and uncle were convicted of murdering and dismembering her because she caught them having an incestuous relationship. Joana's mother, Leonor, has alleged that she was beaten into a confession during a police interrogation that took place without her lawyer or the knowledge of the public prosecutor. Portugal's Ministerio Publico, the public prosecutor, confirmed yesterday it had charged three officers with torture, a fourth with omission of evidence and a fifth with falsifying documents. Despite the charges, Mr Amaral, the co-ordinator of the Policia Judiciaria in Portimao, has not been suspended from working on the 39-day-old Madeleine investigation. The Foreign Office told the McCanns of the charges yesterday. A family spokesman said: "They do not remember meeting Goncalo Amaral face to face but naturally they were concerned to hear of the charges." Police sources said Mr Amaral was "very angry" about the allegations and was considering taking action against the Ministerio Publico. "He is very professional and has had a lot of success in solving cases," one said. In echoes of Madeleine's case, the investigation of Joana's disappearance got off to a false start when the Republican National Guard failed to seal off the house where she was last seen. Mr and Ms McCann have also expressed frustration at delays in the early stages of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. Yesterday it emerged that a witness who claims to have seen Madeleine, aged four, days after she disappeared had still not been properly interviewed, although detectives had assured the McCanns that they had fully investigated the sighting. Mari Olli says she saw the girl at a petrol station on the outskirts of Marrakesh in Morocco on June 9. Despite contacting Portuguese, Spanish and British police, she has still not been formally interviewed and no statement has been taken. Portuguese police admitted last week they were still waiting for CCTV footage from the petrol station. A McCann family source said: "We had got the impression that they had sat down with her and gone through her statement in detail, which is not the case. The Portuguese police have complained about the lack of co-operation from the Moroccan authorities. None of it fills you with confidence." The McCanns were due to meet the Moroccan Interior Minister last night.

Pictures of Maddie to be Posted In Second Life

Police say they plan to post pictures of missing toddler Madeleine McCann in the Second Life virtual world. Investigators are in talks with Second Life to prominently display pictures of the missing four-year-old who vanished in Portugal nearly six weeks ago, said Jim Gamble of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).Madeleine's parents -- Gerry and Kate McCann -- are also trying to convince search engine goliath Google to display their daughter's eyes in the double o's in its name on its site.The couple told AFP on Sunday that Google had yet to respond to their request.The McCanns are also pushing Harry Potter novellist JK Rowling to include bookmarks featuring Madeleine's picture in the seventh and last installment of the wildly popular books, set to go on sale next month.The couple, who in recent weeks have been on a European tour to appeal for information about their daughter's whereabouts, are currently in Morocco to gear up support from authorities there to find their daughter, who disappeared on May 3 in the southern Portuguese resort town of Praia da Luz.Moroccan authorities have assured the McCanns they "will do everything to help to find Madeleine," the girl's father told a press conference in Rabat on Monday."Given the lack of evidence that she is still in Portugal, Kate and I, we have to take into consideration all the possibilities that she moved out of Portugal into Spain and quite possibly could have been brought to Morocco," he said."That is the main reason for coming here," he added, asking the Moroccan public to call in any tips on his daughter's whereabouts to police at 0 8000 25 11.He denied that the visit to Morocco was linked to a tip last month from a Norwegian woman, Mari Olli, who said she had seen Madeleine in the south of the country.Olli, 45, who had been vacationing in Morocco, told Portuguese daily Correio da Manha that she had seen the four-year-old girl in a service station south of Marrakesh six days after she disappeared."She was wearing light blue pajamas" and had asked a man with her "who could not have been her father" if she would soon see her mother, Olli said.

Map & Letter Suggest Maddie May No Longer Be Alive

A map, claiming to show the location of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann, has been given to Portuguese police by a Dutch newspaper.Details in the map and an accompanying letter suggest Madeleine may no longer be alive.The map shows an area close to where Madeleine was abducted and resembles another letter sent to the same newspaper last year, accurately showing where two missing Belgian girls were buried. The Madeleine letter is written in Dutch.Dutch police are studying similarities between the new letter and the other which pointed to the bodies of Belgian girls Stacey Lemmens and Nathalie Mahy. The girls were murdered in June 2006 after they disappeared from a late-night fair in the town of Liege. On the day the letter was received, police found their bodies at the spot indicated on an enclosed map. Dutch police think the letter could have come from the same sender because of style and phrasing similarities.Madeleine McCann disappeared while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz in Portugal on 3rd May. It is believed she was abducted from a holiday apartment while her parents ate at a nearby restaurant

Timeline of Events Since Maddies Disappearance

Four-year-old Madeleine McCann from Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared on May 3 during a holiday with her parents in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.Here is a chronology of developments:May 3 - The girl goes missing from her bedroom between 9.30 and 10 p.m. while her parents Kate and Gerry are dining just 100 yards away at the Mark Warner Ocean Club holiday resort in Praia da Luz. A window and shutter are open and she is presumed to have been abducted.May 4 - McCann family members and British media criticise local police for what they call a slow initial response, failure to notify ports and borders in time, and failure to secure the crime scene, which may have led to vital clues being lost.Police say that under Portuguese secrecy laws they are unable to reveal details of the investigation.May 5 - Police say they have put together a sketch of a suspect and confirm they believe Madeleine is still alive and being held within three miles of the crime scene. Media reports say the sketch is vague and only features the back of a man's head.May 8 - Police say they have investigated 350 suspicious incidents but still have no idea where she might be.Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manha says Madeleine may have been kidnapped by a paedophile ring.Two criminal behaviour experts fly in from Britain.Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo joins appeals for her release.May 10 - The search around the resort winds down. Attention focuses on a blonde woman seen acting suspiciously before the girl's disappearance.May 11 - Scottish businessman Stephen Winyard offers a one million pound reward.Former England soccer captain David Beckham makes televised appeal for information.May 12 - Madeleine turns four.May 13 - Virgin boss Richard Branson, author J.K. Rowling and footballer Wayne Rooney are among those to have contributed to rewards now totalling 2.5 million pounds.May 13 - Half a million pilgrims attending the 90th anniversary of the first appearance of the Virgin Mary at the Sanctuary of Fatima pray for Madeleine's return.May 14 - Her parents say they will not return home until they have found her but say they think she is safe.Police search a villa just up the road from where Madeleine was snatched and take a British man, Robert Murat, to a police station for questioning. He is later released.May 15 - Police say they have identified a suspect but do not have enough evidence for an arrest.Five properties have been searched in the area, and two other people questioned as witnesses.May 16 - Deputy PM John Prescott tells parliament the government is doing everything it can to support Madeleine's parents.Portuguese police interview a computer technician as a witness, identified by local media as a Russian man, and take away computers for examination.Family sets up public appeal fund.May 17 - Web site, www.findmadeleine.com, is launched.May 18 - Multi-national companies help distribute appeal posters.Several newspapers have started talking of media overkill.May 19 - Appeals are broadcast at the F.A. Cup final at the new Wembley stadium.May 25 - Gerry and Kate McCann speak of their guilt over Madeleine's disappearance.May 30 - They meet Pope Benedict during a general audience at the VaticanJune 1 - The couple travel to neighbouring Spain where they hold a news conference to appeal for help from Spanish police.June 6 - They take their appeal to Berlin. The Algarve is popular among Germans. They move on to Amsterdam. After British and German tourists, the largest group of nationals who make up the tourists in the Algarve are the Dutch.June 7 - On their return to the Algarve, a classical and jazz concert is held in honour of Madeleine.Web site has received more than 170 million hits.June 10 - The couple fly to Morocco. British media reports suggest it might be the last country they visit before "taking stock" of their campaign.June 13 - Police start searching an area of deserted scrubland 20 km north of Praia da Luz after a tip-off to a Dutch newspaper.

Parents Upset Over 'Cruel' Tip

The parents of a missing toddler Madeleine McCann, on Thursday criticised a Dutch newspaper for giving details of an anonymous letter which claimed to know where she was buried near a Portuguese village.Portuguese police scoured remote ground for the body of Madeleine McCann following the tipoff which was handed over by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf."We were extremely disappointed in the publication of the anonymous letter in The Telegraaf (Netherlands) claiming to know where Madeleine is buried," said the girl's father, Gerry McCann writing on a website devoted to the search for Madeleine."We were very upset that the credibility of this letter had not been examined and, more importantly, published before the Portuguese police had an opportunity to investigate the claim, and search the area if appropriate without massive media attention."We feel strongly that this was an irresponsible piece of journalism and even if it were true is insensitive and cruel."One can imagine how upsetting it is for Kate and I to hear of such claims through the media and if every piece of information was published like this there would be nothing else in the newspapers."About a dozen investigators searched the scrubland near the southern village of Odiaxere, police spokesman Olegario de Sousa said.The spot could correspond to that marked on a map which accompanied the anonymous letter.Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf said Wednesday it had received the anonymous letter giving details of where to find the body of the missing four-year-old British girl.Madeleine vanished from the hotel room where she and her two-year-old twin siblings were sleeping in the southern resort town of Praia da Luz on May 3 while her parents were dining at a nearby restaurant.According to the letter, the girl's body is hidden about 15 kilometres (nine miles) north of Praia da Luz "under trees and rocks, five or six metres from the road", in barren ground.The daily said the letter was similar to one it received last year which had indicated with some accuracy the site where two missing Belgian girls' bodies were discovered at the end of June

Scrubland Search For Maddie Ends

There are no plans to further search the scrubland where a letter said missing Madeleine McCann could be buried, Portuguese police have said.An anonymous letter in a Dutch newspaper said the four-year-old's body could be found "under branches or stones" nine miles from the Algarve resort where she disappeared from her bedroom on May 3.Seven police searched the area described in the letter, according to reports.Police chief inspector Olegario de Sousa said: "For now, we have no concrete plans to enter the terrain (again)."A spokesman for the local GNR police, which handles day-to-day policing, said they had received no request from the investigative team for help or to bring sniffer dogs to the area.Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for Madeleine's parents, said police are examining the letter to verify whether it was authentic.The police have received countless leads in their investigation, including a possible sighting of Madeleine in Morocco.So far they have made no arrests and have identified only one suspect - Briton Robert Murat - in their case.Ch Insp De Sousa said a group of journalists had hired sniffer dogs to search the area. He said: "These people are people who have no police training and who are walking around the bush looking for a scoop."Madeleine disappeared from her bed while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant in the small Praia da Luz Algarve resort.Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have launched a high-profile campaign to draw attention to her disappearance, including meeting with the Pope in Rome and winning support from personalities such as David Beckham.Gerry McCann said in the diary he publishes online (www.findmadeleine.com) he was upset by the Dutch paper publishing the letter, saying it should have been passed on to Portuguese police before publication.He said: "We were extremely disappointed in the publication of the anonymous letter in the Telegraaf claiming to know where Madeleine is buried."

Maddie 'vital' evidence may have been destroyed

Madeleine McCann's friends and family may have destroyed vital evidence in the first few hours after her abduction, Portuguese police have said.Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa said so many people crowded into the room where she was taken, it was proving difficult for the forensic teams. He said their well-meaning actions could prove "fatal" for the investigation.The police officer's comments came as Kate and Gerry McCann marked 45 days since their four-year-old disappeared with no breakthrough in the case.A source close to the family described his words as "very unhelpful".Mr Sousa, a spokesman for the Policia Judiciara, said more than 20 people had gone into the McCann's Mark Warner holiday apartment on May 3, the night Madeleine disappeared.Among them were friends, family, other holidaymakers and staff from the Ocean Club resort who touched furniture and opened and closed doors.He told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias: "The presence of so many people - especially in the room where the little girl slept with her brother and sister could have at least complicated the work of the forensic team."At the very worst they would have destroyed all the evidence. This could prove to be fatal for the investigation."DNA samples have been taken from the bedroom and sent to three forensic laboratories in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra - part of the Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal (INML).On June 1 a source at the laboratory revealed DNA samples of a "stranger" had been recovered from the room. Police are still waiting for further results